The award is presented annually to someone who goes the extra mile for the British industry.

Several west country pig producers nominated Jonathan French. “He is the hardest working, most committed, caring individual you could possibly wish to have associated with your pig business,” said one.

Another said: “I appreciate he has a vested interest in us paying our feed bills, but his help and advice goes further than that. When we had a fire over a year ago he was at my farm at 6.15 in the morning, to help me out”.

And another said: “He is pioneering — organising seminars with international speakers and taking farmers around Europe to open their eyes to the latest best-practice. He’s always at the end of the phone on evenings and weekends and is desperate for his farmers to improve and succeed”.

Announcing the winner, NPA chairman, Richard Longthorp, said Jonathan French typified the high calibre of people serving the British pig sector. “I believe the relationship of mutual respect and appreciation that exists between pig producers and the allied industries is unique in the farming industry. It is something that I, and all the NPA team, are intensely proud of.”

The award was presented, at a ceremony at East of England Showground, by last year’s Chris Brant Award winner, pig industry independent valuer and adviser Peter Crichton (pictured on the right, with Jonathan).

Jonathan French, who is Pig Key Account Manager for BOCM PAULS’ South Business Unit, said: “I am flattered to receive the Chris Brant award, particularly as it is run and judged by pig producers’ own organisation, the National Pig Association, and is judged by pig producers themselves. This is an outstanding industry to work in and I pay tribute to all the decent, hard-working pig-keepers I have the privilege to work with in my job.”

The NPA Chris Brant Award is named after producer and pig industry activist Chris Brant, who died in July 2009. Chris Brant embodied all that was good about the industry - he was hard-working, blunt, rambunctious, a talented pig producer and as straight as a gun barrel. And he never failed to step up to the mark when his industry needed his help.

The award rules state, 'The Chris Brant Award is not about doing your paid job well, or even about doing it very well. It's about consistently going the extra mile on behalf of the industry, without thought of personal reward'.

This year's award judges were NPA chairman Richard Longthorp, last year's winner, Peter Crichton, and Oxfordshire producer Sally Stockings. Previous winners: John Cusson, Chris Brant, Lynda Davies, John Millard, Richard Longthorp, John Rowbottom, Fred Henley, Hugh Crabtree, Nigel Penlington, Peter Crichton.